MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner handled its business all weekend long, finishing off a 5-0 week with a Saturday victory over No. 24 Keiser and another over Indiana Wesleyan.
FAULKNER 5, KEISER 3
The Eagles continued their steady play to open the season in the first game of Saturday's split doubleheader, knocking off No. 24 Keiser 5-3.
Ramses Guerra surrendered a single unearned run in the first inning and gave up little else the rest of the outing. He allowed just three hits and two walks in four innings of work, giving way to a dominant relief performance from
Seth Creasy. The latter worked two innings while allowing one hit, issuing no walks and striking out four.
Bracken Rice closed it out for the Eagles.
The Faulkner bats wasted little time getting Guerra back level as they opened the bottom of the first down 1-0.
Jeyson Polanco hit a solo homer to left to tie it up. The game remained knotted until the third when
Anthony Bassett Torres singled to right, advanced to third on a Polanco sacrifice bunt and scored on an Edrien Martinez grounder to second. The 2-1 lead grew further in the fifth when
Jordan Carter tripled to left to drive in Michael Archie and
Shaun Bridges. Carter then scored on a balk to make it 5-1.
The Seahawks got two back in the seventh, but could draw no closer as Faulkner moved to 6-1 on the season.
FAULKNER 9, INDIANA WESLEYAN 4
Offense proved much more plentiful in the last game of the weekend as the Eagles beat Indiana Wesleyan 9-4 to finish off a 5-0 week. The Eagles surrendered one run in the first and another in the second to go down 2-0 before getting the bats going in the fourth.
Alex Gonzalez doubled down the left field line to drive in Carter before a wild pitch allowed Archie to tie the game. Torres then singled to left to drive in
Jimmy Perez for the 3-2 lead. Dariel Colon singled to left-center to plate Bridges, moving the advantage to 4-2.
After a Carson Bush homer in the fifth cut it to 4-3, Faulkner added insurance in the seventh. Polanco doubled down the right field line to drive in
Orlando Arellano. Carter singled to center to drive in Archie and Polanco for the 7-3 lead.
Nathan Huie later doubled home Carter for the 8-3 lead. Polanco added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when he doubled in T.J. Blackmon.
Brandon Napier started on the hill for the Eagles, striking out five over four innings of work while allowing four hits and two runs.
Trevor Hamil proved solid in relief, working three and a third innings while allowing two runs.
Avery Shelton and
Mat Mayer closed it out with scoreless appearances.
Faulkner (7-1) is off to its best start since 2021. The Eagles will host No. 14 Reinhardt Tuesday at 5 p.m.
